Prior to about the 1990s, typical bow designs, whether for hunting or the target range, favored relatively short handles and relatively long limbs. These bows presented little problem for re-stringing or repair since it was a simple matter to apply light downward pressure to the handle, causing the ends of the limbs to move closer to each other for releasing the tension in the bowstring. More recently, bows with longer handles and shorter, more parallel limbs, known as parallel limb bows, have become popular. Due, in part, to the handle designs of many of these bows, and because the limbs approach parallel, it has become more difficult to release the tension in the bowstring by light downward pressure applied to the bow handle. As a result, in many cases, greater downward pressures are required than conventional bow presses are designed to safely apply. One of the problems encountered when increased pressure is applied to the inside of the handle with handle rollers, with the outside of the limbs supported in limb rollers, to cause the ends of the limbs to move closer to each other for slackening the bowstring, is that the bow may become wedged into the press in the limbs-bent position and will not come out of the press even when pressure from the handle rollers is released. This is a dangerous situation since upward pressure along the outside of the handle is needed to force the bow from the press. When this force is applied to urge the bow from the press the limbs can violently uncoil, causing severe injury to persons in the vicinity of the press.
Currently available bow presses, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,103 to Deselle, are unable to safely and effectively press many parallel limb bows. Even the bow press disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,190, which is believed to be the most advanced bow press available, has difficulty safely compressing many parallel limb bows.
Accordingly, there is a need for a bow press which is durable, easy to use and which can safely, simply and effectively press parallel limb bows, without causing them to become wedged in the press, in order to release the tension in the bowstring for re-stringing and/or repairing the bow.